The seventh in a series by staff writer Gerry Fraley reviewing the top 10 prospects in the Texas Rangers' organization. To qualify, a player must have his rookie status: fewer than 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the majors and fewer than 45 days on an active roster before Sept. 1.

The combination of pennant-race trades in 2015-16 and graduations to the majors has created an imbalance in the Rangers' player-development system. The majority of the talent is concentrated at the lower levels of the organization. Of the players on this list, eight have not played above the High-A level.

General manager Jon Daniels recognized that when he sent right-hander Yu Darvish to the Los Angeles Dodgers for three prospects. The organization was "not where we want to be and where we'll be very quickly" at the upper levels, Daniels said.

The re-stocking continues this season. A look at the top 10 prospects in the organization going into spring training:

COLE RAGANS

POSITION: Left-handed pitcher.

SIZE: 6-feet-4, 190 pounds.

OPENING DAY AGE: 20.

HOW ACQUIRED: Selected in the first round of the 2016 draft. Received a $2.003 million signing bonus.

WORTH KNOWING: The Rangers defied their recent history by taking Ragans with the 30th overall pick out of North Florida Christian High School in Tallahassee. They took a high school left-hander with their first pick in three of the previous 10 drafts, and none worked out. Kasey Kiker, the 12th overall choice in 2006, was released after five minor-league seasons with a 4.53 ERA. TCU's Matt Purke, the 14th overall pick in 2009, did not sign. Kevin Matthews, the 33rd overall choice in 2011, was plagued by injuries and released in 2015 after an arrest for suspicion of drunk driving.

AMATEUR BACKGROUND: Ragans was 9-2 with a 0.90 ERA and 104 strikeouts in 90 innings during his final season at NFC. Before that, Ragans had made his mark on the showcase circuit. Ragans appeared in the prestigious East Coast Pro event in 2014 after his sophomore season and the Under Armour All-American game at Chicago's Wrigley Field in 2015.

NOTABLE: Ragans has established himself as a strikeout pitcher with an above-average changeup that complements a mid-90s fastball. Ragans led the short-season A Northwest League in strikeouts last season with 87 in 57 1/3 innings. Ragans has pushed the fastball up to 94 mph, but he needs to improve his control of the pitch. He has allowed 41 walks in 65 professional innings and regularly run up high pitch counts. Ragans averaged only 4.41 innings per start last season. The curveball has not been as sharp as it was during his amateur career.

NEXT STOP: Ragans should advance to the Low-A South Atlantic League. The Rangers will continue to be careful with his innings and keep him under 100 for the season.

PROJECTION: Ragans is similar to left-hander Cole Hamels, the Rangers' No. 1 starter, because of the fastball-changeup combination. If Ragans can throw more strikes, he can be a front-end starter like Hamels.